Sustainable agriculture and health problems in modern cities of Indonesia

Rice cultivation has been performed for more than 2000 years in Javanese villages. This sustainable system of agriculture is excellent in terms of material cycle, symbiosis, self-sufficiency and nature conservation. The villagers, on the other hand, suffered from parasitosis, enteritis, dermatitis, and infant deaths in their life close to nature. The high death rate in the rural communities is compensated by a high birth rate. The fertile soil in Java makes it possible to carry the highest rural population density in the world. Shared poverty prevails in the village, and the village had no power to take off for modernisation. Urbanisation and motorisation are extensive in Jakarta, resulting in housing and health problems. Jakarta has ten million inhabitants and two million cars with an annual increase rate of 3 and 5.6 percent, respectively, between 1986 and 1995. Air pollution and health effects are examined in Jakarta and the surrounding cities. Atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen dioxide averages 30, 15 and 10 ppb in central, south, and south suburbs of Jakarta. respectively. The prevalence of coughing in junior high school students was 40. 35, and 30 percent, in central, south and south suburbs of Jakarta, respectively. Five to ten percent of city students would thus appear affected by pollution from automobiles. The roadside atmosphere contains a few micrograms of lead from automobile exhaust. This leads to increased lead concentrations in urine, even if a traveller stays at the roadside for eight hours a day.